Candlelight Christmas
by RedChevy
Summary: Studying abroad in Italy, who will Bella find to share some Christmas fun with? Co-written by RedChevy and PurdueLiz for jandco and withthevampsofcourse's "A Very Cullen Christmas" contest


**A/N Co-written by RedChevy and PurdueLiz for jandco and withthevampsofc****ourse's "A Very Cullen Christmas" contest**

**To PurdueLiz....thanks for all your support, sharing my brain and chatting with me til the wee hours of the morning. Apparently we were separated at birth somehow but our Twilight obsession has brought us together again....love ya, BB MWAH!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, we don't own Twilight or its characters. We do however, like to play with them in our imaginations, having our wicked ways with them. We hope they have as much fun as we do.**

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**Bella**

If you had told me six months ago that six months from then I'd be sitting in a small café in Venice, eating Il Pasticiotto and sipping espresso, I would have laughed in your face. Bella Swan in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy? It was a laughable notion, yet here I sat doing exactly that. And on Christmas Eve no less.

Four months ago, just a few days into the new semester my advisor had called and asked me to come to her office to discuss something. I wasn't worried, though I'll admit I was a touch nervous as to what the meeting was about. I was starting into my second year of my Master's program. I was studying art history, particularly the Renaissance period with a focus on women artists of the time. I arrived at her office and she ushered me in with a smile on her face. I responded with a nervous smile of my own.

"No need to be nervous Bella, I'll cut right to the chase. The university is sponsoring a study abroad trip for the coming semester. They will be paying half the way for the top four students in both the History and Art History Master's programs to travel Europe, studying firsthand the information you've only read in books. You are number 1 in your program, Bella. This is a wonderful opportunity for you."

I know that we talked about it more after that, but I still left her office in a daze, unable to completely recall the specifics. I still had to pay for half the trip, but I would find a way. I wouldn't pass this up. I'd worked hard all semester, taking any odd job that I could to raise the cash. Charlie and Renee, my parents, had stepped up as well, giving me as much as they could afford to give. I knew they were both extremely proud of me and wanted me to have this opportunity as well.

There were ten of us total on the trip, the eight of us in the programs, and two advisors, one from each department. The advisors were actually a married couple, Carlisle and Esme Cullen, so it worked out well for them to take the trip together. In the group from the Art History department were Jessica Stanley, Angela Weber, Garrett Peters, and myself. The group from the History department included Jasper Whitlock, Ben Cheney, Kate Denali, and Mike Newton.

We had left the states as soon as finals completed on the 19th of December. We arrived to our first stop, Venice, the afternoon of the 20th. We had stayed there until the 23rd, exploring museums and libraries, before coming here, to Cortina. We would be spending the Christmas holiday here, enjoying the local ski resorts before returning to Venice for further, more in depth studies.

So here I am, sitting at a small table in the corner of this bustling pastry shop, watching the people coming and going, buying their pastries in preparation for the holiday. Since coming, I'd learned that Christmas in Italy was quite different than what we were used to in the states. The Christmas season, or Buon Natale, that is a blend of Christian Christmas traditions and the pagan celebration of the solstice, starts 8 days before Christmas Day. They observe a strict fast 24 hours before Christmas Eve that is followed by a celebration feast. The season ends with the opening of presents on January 6, or Epiphany. And while there are a few trees and decorations of lights here and there, the main focus is the _presepe_, Nativity scene or creche. I had become completely enamored of their celebrations; it was an entirely fascinating history unto itself, the blending of the pagan and Christian traditions.

As I sit, I'm writing in my new leather journal that I bought specifically to record the memories of this trip. I never want to forget my thoughts and emotions about what I was experiencing. Renee had also bought me a rather nice digital camera and several extra memory cards, so that I could capture everything in photographs. Charlie had even managed to find a good deal on a used laptop for me, enabling me to write any notes I would need for my thesis. My eyes were tearing up a little, thinking of them and being away from them at Christmas for the first time in my life.

I glanced at my watch and realized I would need to be leaving before long to meet the girls. We were going to hit the slopes this afternoon and try to learn how to ski. None of us had been before, so at least we'd be learning together. It was sure to be interesting. I wasn't really much of an athlete, but it looked so fun, I had decided to give it a try.

I heard the tinkling of bells as the door to the café opened again. My heart fluttered just a little when I realized it was Jasper. _Wait, where did that reaction come from?_ I'll admit I thought he was good looking. He was tall and thin, but in a way that suggested there were lean muscles underneath his clothes. He had slightly wavy blond hair, just a little bit long that hung down and sometimes got in front of his steel gray eyes.

He saw me then, and gave a little wave before stepping to the counter to order. I watched as he made his way over to my table with his coffee and pastry in hand.

"Hello, Bella. Do you mind if I sit with you?" he said, his voice a softly lilting drawl.

"Good morning, Jasper. I don't mind. Though I can only stay for a few more minutes."

"Big plans today?" he asked with a bright smile, biting into his chocolate chip covered cannolo.

"Yes, actually, the girls and I are going to take ski lessons," I answered and shyly gave him a small smile back. We passed the next few minutes talking about one of the museums we'd visited just before leaving Venice. He had a fascinating take on some of the pieces we'd seen, information I had never heard before. I found his voice absolutely mesmerizing, that soft southern drawl falling so beautifully from his lips. I vaguely remembered him telling us that he was originally from Texas.

Taking another quick look at my watch, I realized I needed to leave now if I was going to have plenty of time to get changed.

"I'm sorry Jasper, I really have to go now if I'm going to meet the girls on time. I really enjoyed talking with you though. Maybe we'll get another chance sometime, your views on the pieces we've seen are quite unique, I would love the chance to talk to you about it further."

"That would be lovely, Bella. I look forward to that. I find your information on the woman artists of the time to be quite informative as well," he replied.

I stood from my chair, turning to reach my coat and put it, only to find him standing behind me, ready to help me into it.

"Thank you Jasper," I whispered, blushing slightly, unused to such gentlemanly behavior.

"It was no trouble Bella, my mama taught me to always be a gentleman," he drawled.

I picked up my belongings and walked towards the door. Before opening the door, I turned to give him a smile and a wave, to find him watching me.

Walking out into the brisk morning air, I wrapped my scarf tighter around my neck. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. I was enjoying watching all the people walking on the bright, winter morning, smiles on their faces at the coming holiday. I hurried back to the resort chalet to get ready for the ski lessons.

I paused as I approached the small house to admire its beauty. It was a simple little place, but nestled into the mountains it had an air of majesty to it. I let myself in the front, through a massive oak door that looked as if it could be a couple of centuries old. I suppose, given where we were, that it just might have been.

I walked through to the living room, dropping my bag and purse onto the couch and taking my coat off. I had to chuckle seeing the sheepskin rug laid out in front of the large stone fireplace. The rug was quite large, easily six by eight feet and was actually several skins pieced together. Of course, boys being boys, the guys had made jokes about christening the rug and fireplace. Carlisle and Esme quickly shot that idea down, saying that the point of the trip was to study and learn, not christen rugs. Though from the gleam I caught in Carlisle's eyes, I could tell the idea had crossed his mind as well.

I picked up everything except my coat, and hurried up to the small bedroom I was sharing with Kate. I quickly stripped down so that I could figure out how many layers I needed to stay warm for skiing. I had a feeling I might be on the ground quite a bit, and I didn't want to end up soaking wet and freezing. I selected a pair of soft pink, cotton boy shorts and matching bra, and both would stay in place better than some of the other choices I had. I hadn't really planned on skiing, but the girls convinced me to give it a try. I layered a tight heather gray t-shirt and leggings next. Next I added a lightweight turtleneck sweater and jeans. I would don ski pants once I got to the ski lodge.

I rummaged through my purse to find a tube of lip balm, my ID and some money. I jogged back down the stairs, grabbed my coat, ski pants, hat and gloves and hurried out the door. It took about thirty minutes to walk to the ski lodge but I didn't mind, the air was crisp and clean and I couldn't help smiling to myself. I waved as I saw the girls waiting for me. I felt like pinching my arm, just to prove to myself once again that this was not a dream, that I was really here. In Italy. On Christmas Eve. Skiing in the Alps.

"Hi Bella!" Jessica squealed, practically bouncing in her excitement. She was so bubbly and outgoing, you couldn't help but like her.

"Hi Jess, hi girls. Are we ready for this?" I asked, just a hint of the nerves I was starting to feel showing through in my voice.

"We sure are," Kate said enthusiastically, "I'm hoping we'll get a really cute young ski instructor. That would sure make it more fun for us."

I chuckled to myself; Kate was such a flirt sometimes, though I found myself thinking that if the instructor looked like Jasper it wouldn't be so bad. _Where the heck do these thoughts about Jasper keep coming from? I mean sure, he's good looking, and friendly, and that sweet southern drawl of his is to die for, but why did he keep popping into my head today?_

We entered the rustic ski lodge, heading over to the counter marked "Ski Instructors" to prepare for our day. It took about 20 minutes, but they got us all fitted with our ski boots, skis, and poles. I was getting more and more nervous about this as time went on. I had no idea why I'd let them talk me into this. I just hoped I wouldn't end up with anything broken or sprained at the end of the day. If I could manage that, I would consider the day a success.

We carried our skis outside to a little seating area, waiting for our instructor to arrive and show us where to go. We'd managed to set it up so that it would be just the 4 of us learning together. It was just a few minutes later that we saw a rather bulky woman approaching us.

"You are my class, yes?" she asked, in perfect, though heavily accented English.

Jessica spoke for us, "Yes. I'm Jessica. My friends are Kate, Angela, and Bella," she said as she pointed us each out in turn.

"Bella? Do you know that bella is "beautiful" in Italian?" Gianna asked me.

I sighed and indicated yes with a nod of my head, this was not the first time this trip that I'd heard this. Really, I thought Isabella was a popular name here. I guess the nickname must not be. I hoped she would let it drop. I certainly didn't really consider myself beautiful, so having it pointed out that my name meant "beautiful" only served to embarrass me and make me blush.

We spent the next four hours with Gianna, learning as much as we possibly could about skiing. She was an excellent instructor, even if a little overly enthusiastic at times. And if she called me "beautiful Bella" once, she called me that one hundred times. Of course, she had to say my name so much because I seemed to be the only one who kept having trouble getting the moves right. By the time we were finished with our lesson with her, we were all hungry, a little tired, but also ready to tackle one of the larger runs. I was excited by the prospect and more than a little stunned that I had done surprisingly well, considering my non-athletic history.

We grabbed a light lunch, sitting around the large, circular fireplace in the lodge. It was such a beautiful scene, watching people laughing and joking together, having fun. I was thrilled to be a part of it. Once we were done, we headed out to the slopes. We spent another three hours out there, skiing as many of the beginner and intermediate slopes as we could. The cold air and the speed while gliding down the mountain was exhilarating, it gave me such a rush, I was sad when our day came to an end. As we were finishing up, it started snowing heavily. Watching the flakes flutter down in the twilight was more beautiful than I could have dreamed.

We were all tired and needed to get ready for our evening. We were supposed to meet up with the group to have dinner and then attend a midnight mass Christmas service. Kate, Jess, and Angela were heading straight into town; they wanted to do some shopping before meeting up with everyone else. I told them I would see them at dinner, as I wanted to go back to take a hot shower and change my clothes before meeting everyone.

I was too tired to walk all the way back to the chalet this time, so I hailed a taxi, giving the driver the address. Laying my head back on the seat, I let my eyes drift closed. It had been a wonderful day, but my muscles were really starting to ache. Maybe I would sit in the hot tub before I got ready for the evening. I decided that I had more than enough time to do that since it was only about 4:30 right now and we weren't planning to meet up until 8:00. I would have loved to sneak a quick nap too, but knew that once I went to sleep I would never get up. The motion of the car ceasing brought me out of my thoughts, I paid the driver and tipped him well, wishing him a Merry Christmas before getting out of the car. He gave a wave and a honk before heading back to town.

There were only a couple of lights on that I could see and I found myself wondering if anyone else was there, or if they were all still in town. I hoped that I would be able to enjoy the hot tub by myself, without having to make small talk with anyone. I wasn't always very good at that, preferring to observe the interactions of the people around me. You learn a lot about people from watching how they are in conversation with others.

I called out a hello to the house and there was no answering reply, so I assumed that I was alone. I went straight up to my room to put my things away. I quickly shed all off my clothing, but then decided that I would wear my boy shorts and t-shirt in the hot tub, rather than the swimsuit I'd brought with me. I went into the bathroom, grabbing one of the thick terry cloth robes provided, and twisting my hair up into a loose bun. I didn't want to get it all wet and have to dry it again before going back to town.

As I came to the bottom of the stairs, the front door opened and shut quickly. It was Jasper. My breath hitched just a little, finding myself somewhat excited at the prospect of being alone with him in the house. _What are you thinking Bella? Get ahold of yourself._ I had found myself thinking about him several times today while skiing. Each time he popped into my head, I was curious as to my reaction to him. He was a very nice guy, a little on the quiet side, like me. But he was quite knowledgeable and fascinating to listen to. I suppose I was more than a little drawn to him.

He looked up as he heard me coming down the stairs, "Hello Bella. How was your day skiing?"

"I had a lot of fun Jasper, thank you for asking. I did much better than I anticipated that I would, but now my muscles are telling me all about the punishment I gave them."

He gave a soft chuckle that went straight to the pit of my stomach, igniting a slow burning fire. "I'll bet they are, skiing gives a much harder workout than it might appear to. You should go and sit in the hot tub, I'm sure that would help to relax you."

I couldn't stop the smile that spread on my face, "That's exactly where I was heading right now. I just hope I don't get so relaxed that I fall asleep and drown," I joked.

"We wouldn't want that now, Bella." I shivered at the way my name rolled off his tongue. _These reactions to him are getting out of control; I don't understand what's going on with me. _ "

"Perhaps I should join you? Prevent an accidental drowning," he smirked at me and heart flip-flopped. _Was he _flirting_ with me?_

"Ha ha Jasper, yes, maybe you should protect me from myself. Actually, I would love it if you'd join me. I wouldn't mind getting your opinion on Marietta Robusti Tintoretto and her work."

I watched him, waiting for an answer. He licked his lips and I found myself staring at them. I glanced away quickly, hoping he hadn't noticed, but he appeared deep in concentration. His face was slightly flushed and his breathing a little faster than normal. I felt myself wondering what he was thinking about to make him react that way.

He licked his lips once more and finally replied, "I would like that very much, Bella, but I'm afraid I don't have any swim trunks."

"That's alright Jasper, I was planning to wear just my underwear and a t-shirt. Why don't you just wear your underwear too?"

His eyes widened and he stared at me for a moment, before stuttering out his reply, "O-okay, sure." He appeared more than a little flustered and once again I was curious as to his thoughts.

"I'm going to head on out there," I told him, "join me when you're ready." I walked out to the back porch, laying my robe on the back of a chair before climbing in to the gloriously hot water. I felt my muscles relaxing instantly. I could see Jasper through the windows, pacing and running his hand through his shaggy blond hair.

**Jasper**

I was pacing the floor, and I couldn't keep from running my hand through my hair nervously. _What the heck was that just now? Was Bella flirting with me? Inviting me to join her in the hot tub, in my underwear? Argh. I don't know what to think._

My thoughts had been consumed with her all day, after our chance meeting in the café. When I first sat down with her, I'd caught a whiff of her scent, and it had gone straight to my dick. I was shocked my reaction and did my best to make small talk with her, while finding myself distracted by her. Her lips as she spoke, the way she unconsciously flipped her hair over her shoulder as she talked. I'd never had a reaction to a woman like this before. I wasn't sure what the advisors would think about anyone "hooking up" on this trip, but I was pretty sure that they would probably frown on the idea.

Still, as I walked through the village, stopping in to small shops, my thoughts kept returning to Bella. She was quiet like me, but incredibly smart and witty when she did have something to say. Her passion for her studies was clear to anyone who talked to her and I found myself wanting to get to know her better. And now she had just presented me with the very opportunity I'd been hoping for.

I decided to light a fire before heading outside, hoping to warm the room up for when we came back inside. It was sure to be a cold transition from the hot water to the cold outside air and the only slighter warmer air inside the house. Being wet and cold was not fun, and I wouldn't want her to get a chill.

After I got the fire going, I took a deep breath, gathering my courage. I quickly shed my clothes, down to my boxers. I couldn't help smiling when I saw them, and hoped she wouldn't think they were too silly. Since it was Christmas Eve, I'd chosen to wear my Christmas print boxers. They had little green grinches in Santa hats all over them_. It's now or never_, I told myself, and walked out the door.

She grinned as she saw me come out the door, pointed and said, "Cute boxers, Jasper." I think I blushed just a little, but she just laughed. "No really, they're cute. I always had a thing for the Grinch."

I hurriedly climbed into the water, the air was quite cold and I had no wish to linger. Besides, the quicker, I climbed in, the quicker I was close to a very wet Bella in the hot tub. I felt my imagination running away with me and did my best to try to come up with a good topic of conversation, coming up blank.

She was sitting directly across from me in the tub; her t-shirt was clinging to her skin as the moisture caused the fabric to become semi transparent. The swell of her breasts was barely visible above the churning water and the strands of her hair that had fallen from her bun were plastered to the long, creamy column of her neck.

Shifting her body on the hard plastic seat, she sank deeper into the water and moaned as the jets pounded against the tense muscles of her back.

"Feel good?" I said, my voice taking on a husky timbre.

"Oh, god…yes!" she groaned as her eyes rolled up into her head and a small smile formed on her full, pink lips.

The combination of finally being alone with her and the sounds of pleasure that were passing her lips, made it difficult to concentrate. I was instantly hard and my only thought was of wanting to be the one responsible for eliciting those noises from her.

Reaching forward, my hands found hers and I gently tugged her towards me. Her eyes snapped open as she knelt on the bottom of the tub between my out stretched legs.

"Turn around," I said. "Let me help you relax."

Raising one eyebrow in a silent question, her eyes searched mine for a moment before she slowly turned on her knees exposing her back to me.

I began massaging her shoulders, gently at first and then gripping more firmly with each subsequent squeeze of my hands. My thumbs were digging firm, steady arcs across her shoulder blades, ending on a trail to the base of her neck before sweeping back down again. My fingers pressed, in a wave like motion along her collarbones, each digit increasing and then decreasing its pressure before the next followed suit.

"Ahhh, Jasper that feels…so…good." She breathed out as her head lolled back and her shoulders unwound.

My cock twitched at her words, straining against the waterlogged cotton of my boxers. I inched forward before dragging my hands down the middle of her back, applying pressure to her taut muscles with my fingertips.

"What about this?" I asked as my hands worked their way back up; my thumbs pressing on either side of her spine as my fingers massaged the expanse of her back, walking in an almost spider like fashion in an attempt to loosen the knots.

"Mmmmm," she hummed as her head fell forward, her chin on her chest. The vibration of the sound traveled through her body and into my palms.

The feel of her relaxing under my touch and the sounds that were filling the night air, as a result, caused me to act on instinct. Saliva pooled in my mouth as I was overcome with the urge to taste her. Leaning forward, I placed a soft kiss on the nape of her neck.

Her body trembled slightly but she didn't make a sound or try to pull away as I slowly dragged my tongue from the top of her shirt, right up to her hairline, the ball of my tongue ring adding extra pressure. I heard her gasp when my mouth worked its way back down the same path my tongue had taken, nipping and sucking at her flesh as my arms snaked around her waist.

"And this?" I whispered in her ear, my teeth grazing her lobe as I pulled her into my lap, her back flush against my chest and my erection pressing into her backside.

"Yes," she hissed softly, running her hands along the tops of my legs from my knees to the hem of my shorts, her thumbs rubbing soft circles into the sensitive skin of my inner thigh.

My hips bucked involuntarily as I buried my face into her neck, my hands skimming up her torso to cup her breasts as my thumbs brushed over her erect nipples through the soaked fabric.

"Jasper," she moaned as her breathing picked up and her head fell back against my shoulder.

I ground into her once more at the sound of her moaning my name and she began to move against me. Rubbing her ass along my length as her thumbs kept pace on my thighs, sliding them under my shorts a little further with each stroke, while I continued to knead and tease her breasts.

I began to pant as I frantically kissed and sucked on every inch of exposed skin that I could reach, she tasted like honey and winter and fruit and I couldn't get enough.

"Jasper…more," she gasped as though she had read my mind and that was all the encouragement I needed.

A low rumble rolled through my chest as I grabbed her hips and moved her onto the seat beside me. She let out a small squeak of surprise at the sudden change of position before I spun around to nestle myself between her legs.

Holding her face in my hands, I paused to look into her eyes, her pupils were dilated from her arousal and I saw no trace of doubt or hesitation there before I pulled her towards me and pressed my lips to hers.

Her hands tangled in my hair and her nails scratched my scalp as she sucked my bottom lip into her mouth. Her tongue ran along it as she bit down and I growled as I pressed myself firmly against her, my throbbing cock finally making contact with her soft, overheated center.

Sighing at the sensation, she opened her mouth and my tongue slipped in and teased hers gingerly, the metal ball tapping lightly against her teeth. Her legs wrapped around my waist as our tongues danced together, their fight for dominance becoming more frenzied as the kiss deepened.

I felt her thigh muscles contract as she dug her heels into my ass and fisted her hands into my hair, pulling me closer as she began to rock her hips rhythmically against me. Breaking the kiss, I moaned into her mouth before her head fell back onto the edge of the tub, exposing her perfect neck to me as we struggled for air.

My hands found their way to the hem of her shirt behind her and I wrestled with it desperately as it seemed to be glued to her skin. The jet of water that was pounding into her suddenly caught the edge of the material causing it to balloon out and I wasted no time in gliding my hands up and down the silky skin of her back.

The increased skin on skin contact resulted in both of us whimpering as her hip movement intensified and my lips continued their assault on her neck.

"Fuck…Bel…la," I gasped out between heavy breaths as I ground into her, matching her thrust for thrust.

"Jas…per," she moaned as her hands ghosted down my back, stopping at the waistband of my boxers.

The moment her thumbs slid beneath the elastic, everything went black. The hum of the hot tub motor stopped and the jets of water abruptly ceased their soothing pulsing. Our movements stilled as I tried to process the meaning of these unusual events through my lust filled brain.

The heaving of our chests and our visible breaths, rising like fog above us, were the only reminders of the passion that had consumed us a mere minute ago.

"What happened?" Bella whispered, her breathing becoming more even.

Lifting my head from its spot on her neck, I glanced towards the chalet. The entire house had been plunged into darkness and the only visible illumination was the flickering, orange glow of the fire I had lit before joining Bella in the tub.

"Shit. It looks like the power's out," I hissed, not wanting to leave the warmth of Bella or the water.

We remained entwined and motionless for a moment longer as I considered our options. The water in the tub was still warm, the steam rising from the surface creating an eerie swirl of movement against the backdrop of the calm, black night. The temptation to stay put and continue where we left off was ultimately overridden by the knowledge that, without the motor running, the water would begin to chill too rapidly.

"We should go inside," I sighed in frustration at thought of the others returning soon, effectively putting an end to our brief encounter, before reluctantly removing myself from Bella's warm embrace.

Stepping out of the tub and slipping my feet in to my shoes, I grabbed the thick, toweling robe that was slung over a chair and turned back towards Bella. She was standing on the seat with her arms crossed tightly across her chest. I wrapped the robe around her shoulders and opened my arms in invitation. She hesitated for a split second before reaching out to wind her arms around my neck as I lifted her up, her legs returning to their position around my waist as I briskly closed the distance to the chalet.

Once inside I set Bella down on the large sheepskin rug directly in front of the roaring fire. The air in the room was warm and dry, in sharp contrast to the cold dampness of my skin and I began to relax the muscles that had naturally tensed up against freezing air outside.

"You should get out of those wet clothes," I told Bella as she blushed furiously and lowered her gaze to the floor. I was confused by her reaction after what we had just been doing but decided I would leave it up to her to determine how the rest of the evening would progress. "I'm just going to light some candles."

"Ok, sure," she said softly.

Turning my back to her, I busied myself with retrieving the matches from the desk drawer in the corner of the room. All of the guests had been warned of the possibility of power failures at the resort and all of the chalets were stocked with matches and candles. Tealight votives and candlesticks were part of the permanent décor and were placed strategically around the room.

I didn't turn around as I traveled around the room in an attempt to offer Bella some privacy while trying to ignore the squelching and suctioning sounds of her removing her sopping wet clothing. When I reached the long table situated close to the front door I noticed the screen on my cell phone was flashing and I opened it to read a text message sent to me by Mike.

_Tree down on road. All stuck in village. See you tomorrow._

"The others are stuck in the village tonight, the road is closed." I stated as I set the phone back down on the table, absentmindedly looking at the floor as I padded back towards the living room.

"Oh," Bella responded with an edge to her voice that I couldn't quite decipher.

Glancing up, I saw her standing on the rug with her back to the fire. She was covered from her neck to her mid calf in the fluffy white robe which was tied tightly around her waist, the resort emblem embroidered on it in red just above her left breast. She had released her hair from its bun and it cascaded down her shoulders.

I stopped short at the edge of the rug, suddenly self conscious, as I stood there, still semi hard, in nothing but my damp boxers.

The disappointment I felt at not continuing where we left off in the tub must have been clear on my face because Bella looked up at me and shot me a cheeky grin.

"I thought you might like something to unwrap," she purred as she waved the end of the robe's belt in my direction. "It is Christmas, after all."

My dick roared to life once more as I closed the distance between us in two long strides. Bella giggled at my enthusiasm but caught my hand in hers as I reached for the belt.

"Ah…ah…ah," she grinned. "Ladies first. I'd like to unwrap _my_ present now. If you don't mind?" She asked as she dropped to her knees in front of me, never taking her eyes from mine.

I managed to nod my head in reply as my breath hitched in anticipation.

Her finger slid beneath the waistband of my shorts at my hips. Slowly, they moved to the front and pulled the elastic taut before carefully maneuvering it over my straining erection.

Bella never broke eye contact with me as she pushed the fabric down my legs until it pooled around my feet and in two quick movements I kicked them away.

Her hands made their journey back up my legs, lightly combing through the hair. A shiver ran though me as her thumbs reached the insides of my upper thighs a mere breath away from my balls before she slid her palms around my hips to rest on the cheeks of my ass.

My breathing was labored and I was about to reach down and pull her up to me, unable to stand much more teasing, when she dug her fingers into my flesh. Sucking in a noisy breath, I watched as she dipped her head to settle her mouth at the base of my now throbbing cock.

"Mmmmm," she hummed against me, her warm breath blowing over my sensitive sack. The sensation caused my knees to buckle as I grabbed the mantle with my right hand for support.

She smiled against my skin and let out a small laugh before kissing and licking her way along my length.

"Just…what…I…always…" she said between alternating kisses and licks before swirling her tongue over my tip, "…wanted," she finished before wrapping her lips around me and taking me into her talented mouth.

"Fuuuccckkk," I breathed as my head fell back onto my shoulders and I gripped the mantle for dear life. "Bella…I…god," I panted out as my left hand tangled in her hair and my eyes squeezed shut. It took every ounce of restraint I possessed not to come right then as her head bobbed and her tongue teased in the most exquisite torture I had ever known.

"S..stop. Bella…_please_," I begged as I tugged her hair as gently as I could. I was on the brink and I knew I couldn't hold out any longer.

She released me from her mouth with a soft 'pop' before looking up at me through her dark lashes.

"Did I do something wrong?" she whispered, a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

"God, no!" I blurted out a little too loudly as I tried to tame my racing heartbeat. "That was…that was," I stuttered through ragged breaths. "Too good. I almost lost it."

Her lips pulled into a half smile and there was a mischievous glint in her eyes, as she looked pretty pleased with herself.

I quirked an eyebrow at her and, as I had regained the use of my knees, I felt I could afford to be a little cocky in return.

"I think it's time I opened my present, don't you?" I asked as I knelt down before her. "You're not the only one with a talented tongue," I murmured softly into her ear, my tongue tracing the shell of it causing her to shudder.

I sat back on my heels and locked my eyes with hers; mimicking the tease she had given me. I tugged on the belt to untie it and the robe fell open as I dipped my hands in and ran my palms along her smooth, flat stomach, out towards her hips.

Maintaining eye contact, I slowly brushed my fingertips up her sides, barely touching the firm swell of her breasts as her breath caught in her throat. Goosebumps formed all over her skin as I slid my hands gently over her collarbones and up to her shoulders, pushing the robe off as they continued their path down her arms.

Slowly, I allowed my eyes to wander downwards to drink in the incredible gift I had just unwrapped. My dick jumped eagerly in my lap when I laid my sights on the perfection of her heaving breasts.

All thought of torture and teasing flew out of my head as I launched myself at her. The need to taste her again overpowering all ideas of one-upmanship I may have had.

Bella giggled as she fell back under my weight and then moaned as I sucked one erect nipple into my mouth while pinching the other between my fingers.

I could have stayed in that spot for the rest of my days, alternating my lips and hands between her perfect tits, nipping and tasting, pinching and kneading as she writhed and gasped beneath me, but I knew she needed more.

Moving my free hand between us, my fingers found their way through her silky curls and teased her hot, wet folds. Bella cried out and I growled into her skin when I slid two fingers inside, curling them into her sensitive spot as I rubbed her hardened bundle of nerves with my thumb. Her breathing came fast and hard and her hips bucked against my hand as I pumped into her.

I felt her tremble once before she reached down to grab my wrist and she pulled me away as I lifted my head to look into her glazed eyes in a silent question. She shook her head slightly and winked at me before planting her right foot on the floor, pushing her right hip and shoulder into me, effectively rolling me onto my back and straddling me in one smooth movement. _Impressive_.

We both groaned at the feel of her slick pussy sliding along my rock hard cock as her hips moved in a steady rhythm, my hands keeping pace as they squeezed and groped her breasts.

She reached up and covered my hands with her own, guiding my ministrations briefly before peeling my fingers away, causing me to whimper at the loss. Lacing her fingers through mine, she leaned forward to place our joined hands on either side of my head, the change of position resulted in the tip of my cock brushing against her entrance.

Our eyes locked as my grip on her fingers tightened, our lips were a mere inch apart as I bent my knees for added leverage and tilted my hips. Lifting my head to capture her lips with mine we moaned into each other's mouths as she moved back to sheath my entire length in her tight warmth.

Neither of us moved for a moment, lost in the feeling of our connection and then Bella began to move, slowly at first before finding a rhythm that I matched with each thrust of my hips. The sound of flesh slapping together coupled with the panting and moaning coming from both of us filled the room as our thrusts became faster and more urgent.

When I felt her grip on my hands loosen I knew she was close and she trembled as I freed myself from her grasp. I reached down to hold her hips firmly, guiding her as I changed my angle slightly and drove into her deeper and faster as I hurtled towards my own release.

"Jasper!" she screamed as her walls clenched around me bringing on my own orgasm as I shouted her name and a few choice expletives, my hips bucking involuntarily as I spilled into her.

I wrapped my arms around her as she collapsed onto my chest, our hearts beating against each other's at a frightening tempo as our breathing began to slow. The warmth of the fire aided in our recovery, the soft orange glow served to somehow bring our pulses to a more regular rhythm as I stroked Bella's back soothingly.

After laying in silence for an immeasurable amount of time I felt Bella smile against my chest.

"Merry Christmas, Jasper," she said softly.

"Merry Christmas, Bella," I smiled contentedly.


End file.
